The instant invention relates to display apparatus and more particularly to a display card for displaying a three-dimensional ornamental article, such as a three-dimensional earring.
Over the years, display cards have been found to be highly effective for packaging and displaying ornamental articles, such as earrings and the like. In this regard, display cards of the general type disclosed in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,099,611; 4,175,660; 4,281,469; D. 2,61,729 and D. 264,820 to Feibelman have generally been found to be effective for displaying many types of jewelry items, such as earrings and the like and they are believed to represent the closest prior art to the subject invention of which the applicant is aware. Display cards of this general type have been adapted to be supported and displayed on display stands of the general type disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,322,007 to Feibelman and in most cases they have included a main card portion having one or more apertures therein which are adapted for receiving the fastening elements of ornamental articles in order to secure ornamental articles on the card portion. However, while display cards of this type have been found to be highly effective for displaying most types of ornamental jewelry items, they have been found to be less than entirely effective for displaying certain types of three-dimensional jewelry items which are intended to be worn so that they are suspended in free space. This has been found to be particularly true with respect to jewelry items which are formed as collapsible mobile-type structures and which therefore are only capable of displaying their true artistic forms when they are suspended in free space. The instant invention provides an effective display card which is specifically adapted for displaying three-dimensional ornamental articles such as mobile-type earrings so that they are suspended in free space. Specifically, the display card of the instant invention comprises a card portion, hanger means on the card portion for releasably hanging the display card from a display stand and a flange portion which extends forwardly from the card portion for suspending an ornamental article in free space in front of the card portion. The card portion is preferably substantially flat and the hanger means is preferably adapted for releasably securing the display card on a display stand so that the card portion is maintained in a substantially vertical disposition. The hanger means preferably comprises an elongated hanger portion which extends rearwardly from the card portion and then downwardly so that it is receivable on a hanger bar of a display stand of the general type disclosed in the aforementioned U. S. Pat. No. 4,322,007 to Feibelan. The flange portion preferably includes a substantially planar main portion which extends forwardly from the card portion, a front face portion which extends downwardly from the main portion and a bottom lip portion which extends rearwardly slightly from the front face portion in downwardly spaced relation to the main portion. The main portion of the flange portion preferably extends forwardly from the card portion by a least approximately one half inch and it is preferably adapted for suspending an ornamental article therefrom at a point which is spaced forwardly by at least approximately one half inch from the card portion. The front face portion of the flange portion is preferably adapted for suspending an ornamental article from the flange portion and it preferably has an aperture therein which is adapted for receiving the post of an ornamental article, such as an earring, in order to secure the earring to the face portion so that it is suspended in free space therefrom. In one embodiment of the display card the flange portion extends forwardly adjacent the upper edge of th card portion whereas in a second embodiment the flange portion extends forwardly in downwardly spaced, relation to the upper edge of the card portion to provide an area on the card portion above the flange portion which can be used for advertising, indicia, etc. The card portion, the flange portion and, in some cases, the hanger portion are preferably integrally extruded from a plastic material. Further, the display card is preferably adapted for displaying a pair of three-dimensional earrings and accordingly, the flange portion is preferably adapted for suspending a pair of three-dimensional earrings in spaced relation to each other in forwardly spaced relation to the card portion.
It has been found that the display card of the instant invention can be effectively utilized for packaging and displaying three-dimensional jewelry items, such as three-dimensional mobile type earrings. In this regard, it has been found that when articles, such as three-dimensional mobile-type earrings are displayed on the display card, the earrings are suspended in free space so that the natural artistic three-dimensional features thereof are clearly displayed to potential purchasers. Hence, it has been found that for certain applications the display card of the instant invention has significant advantages over the heretofore available display cards for ornamental articles.
Accordingly it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide an effective display device for displaying a three-dimensional ornamental article such as a three-dimensional jewelry item.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide a display card for displaying a pair of three-dimensional earrings.
An even further object of the instant invention is to provide an effective display card for displaying an ornamental article so that it is suspended in free space.
A still further object of the instant invention is to provide an effective display card for displaying a three-dimensional ornamental article so that it is suspended in free space in forwardly spaced relation to a card portion.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.